Low Serum Levels of Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate Predict All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in Elderly Swedish Men

Abstract

The age-related decline in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels is thought to be of importance for general and vascular aging. However, data on the association between DHEA and mortality are conflicting. We tested the hypothesis that low serum DHEA and DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S) levels predict all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) death in elderly men. We used gas/liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze baseline levels of DHEA and DHEA-S in the prospective population-based MrOS Sweden study (2644 men, aged 69-81 yr). Mortality data were obtained from central registers and analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regressions. All-cause and CVD mortality by serum DHEA(-S) levels. During a mean 4.5-yr follow-up, 328 deaths occurred. Low levels of DHEA-S (quartile 1 vs. quartiles 2-4), predicted death from all causes [hazard ratio (HR) 1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21-1.96; adjusted for traditional cardiovascular risk factors], from CVD (n = 123 deaths; HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.10-2.37) and ischemic heart disease (n = 73; HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.02-2.74) but not cancer. Analyses with DHEA gave similar results. The association between low DHEA-S and CVD death remained after adjustment for C-reactive protein and circulating estradiol and testosterone levels. When stratified by the median age of 75.4 yr, the mortality prediction by low DHEA-S was more pronounced among younger (age adjusted HR for CVD death 2.64, 95% CI 1.37-5.09) than older men (HR 1.30, 95% CI 0.83-2.04). Low serum levels of DHEA(-S) predict death from all causes, CVD, and ischemic heart disease in older men.